Non profit organization, ICOMOS strives like many NGOs to offer a good service with few material means. A documentation centre is not, by intrinsic nature, a profitable institution. Although in-depth research and quality documentation are essential to any restoration/conservation project, they are not quantifiable in terms of benefits. Documentary resources thus get cut when budgetary restrictions are required.

One after the other, documentation centres of international organizations centres close their doors for financial reasons (UNESCO cultural sector, ICOM...).

Help us maintain a resourceful collection and a good information service, for the sake of cultural heritage protection!

The Centre does not lend books for security reasons as many visitors come from all around the world for only short periods of time. However it proposes services such as copying or scanning within the limits of copyright law. See: Documentation Centre - Loans and services

→How can I get to the reading room? Do I need an appointment?

The Documentation Centre is based in Paris, France, at the ICOMOS International Secretariat. No appointment is needed: the Centre welcomes all the readers from 2 pm to 5 pm every day except Wednesday (and until 8 pm on Monday). See Documentation Centre - Opening times and access

→Can I access and consult all nomination files of World Heritage properties?

Before the inscription of the property

In the Documentation Centre you can only consult the nomination files of the UNESCO World Heritage inscribed properties. The nomination process remains confidential until the World Heritage Committee makes its final decision during its annual session which takes place at the end of June or at the beginning of July.

After the inscription of the property

The nomination files are public as soon as properties are inscribed on the World Heritage List. Note that all the nomination files of the properties inscribed after 1998 are available online at: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list (tab “documents” for each site). For sites inscribed before that date, you can consult the paper nomination files available at the Documentation Centre.

→Can I access and consult the nomination files of World Heritage properties that have been deferred or rejected in the past?

In the Documentation Centre you can only consult the nomination files of UNESCO World Heritage inscribed properties. The files of deferred or rejected properties are confidential and are not available to the public.